A47535:309
Gold refined, or, Baptism in its primitive purity proving baptism in water an holy…Gold refin'd, or, Baptism in its primitive purity proving baptism in water an holy…
Gold refined, or, Baptism in its primitive purity proving baptism in water an holy institution of Jesus Christ ... : wherein it is clearly evinced that baptism ... is immersion, or dipping the whole body, &c : also that believers are only the true subjects (and not infants) of that holy sacrament : likewise Mr. Smithies arguments for infant-baptism in his late book entitled, The non-communicant ... fully answered / by Benj. Keach ...Gold refin'd, or, Baptism in its primitive purity proving baptism in water an holy institution of Jesus Christ ... : wherein it is clearly evinced that baptism ... is immersion, or dipping the whole body, &c : also that believers are only the true subjects (and not infants) of that holy sacrament : likewise Mr. Smythies arguments for infant-baptism in his late book entitled, The non-communicant ... fully answered / by Benj. Keach ...
London : Printed for the author, and are to be sold by Nathaniel Crouch ..., 1689
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Chapter 9: Containing several other Arguments, proving, why not Infants, but Believers only, are t…
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answ. To this we Answer, That there is no colour of Ground or Reason of giving the Name of Disciples from that Text to Infants: for tho true, they are called Disciples, upon whose Necks the false Brethren would have put that Yoke of Circumcision; yet what's this, sith Adult Believers of the Gentiles also were required by the Jews to be circumcised, as Timothy, Act. 16. 3. And tho it be granted that they would have had Infants, as well as the converted Gentiles, to be circumcised, yet the putting the Yoke of Circumcision, is not actual Circumcision in the Flesh; for that the Jews, as well as their Children, were able to bear for many Ages. But the Yoke of Circumcision is the necessity of it upon Mens Consciences, and therewith to oblige them to keep the whole Law of Moses, or they could not be saved; and this was not that which they would have put upon Children, but upon the Disciples, i. e. the faithful Brethren in Christ Jesus.
Answ. To this we Answer, That there is no colour of Ground or Reason of giving the Name of Disciples from that Text to Infants: for tho true, they are called Disciples, upon whose Necks the false Brethren would have put that Yoak of Circumcision; yet what's this, sith Adult Believers of the Gentiles also were required by the Jews to be circumcised, as Timothy, Act. 16. 3. And tho it be granted that they would have had Infants, as well as the converted Gentiles, to be circumcised, yet the putting the Yoak of Circumcision, is not actual Circumcision in the Flesh; for that the Jews, as well as their Children, were able to bear for many Ages. But the Yoak of Circumcision is the necessity of it upon Mens Consciences, and therewith to oblige them to keep the whole Law of Moses, or they could not be saved; and this was not that which they would have put upon Children, but upon the Disciples, i. e. the faithful Brethren in Christ Jesus.
If Faith and Repentance be required as prerequisite of all them that are to be baptized;1